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Strauss pops in for Hameed, watches Trego

Andrew Strauss popped into Old Trafford, with the defensive qualities of Haseeb Hameed on his mind. But it was the attacking thrust of Peter Trego that he watched

Lancashire 138 for 2 (Hameed 56) trail Somerset 553 for 6 declared (Trego 154*, Abell 135, Davies 86, Trescothick 60, Bailey 5-111) by 415 runs
Scorecard
Soap operas have story arcs; and so, too, do days at the cricket. However, unlike contrived dramas dreamt up on flip-charts, they emerge more mysteriously over six hours of toil and skill. Which is not to say that they defy précis; for example, who can beat this disgruntled Lancashire supporter's online summary of the first day of this game? "Woeful. Then got some wickets. Then crap again". Thank you, Sir Neville Cardus.
The arc of the second day was fairly simple, too, yet it was replete with contrasting entertainments. For 38 overs Somerset's eighth-wicket pair, Peter Trego and Ryan Davies first denied Steven Croft's bowlers an early breakthrough and then dismantled the home attack, extending their stand to 236 before the excellent Davies chopped on to Tom Bailey having made a career-best 86.
That dismissal, which occurred 25 minutes into the afternoon session, gave Bailey his fifth wicket. However, he was only member of Croft's attack to enjoy success on a day when some bowling analyses should not have been read out while there were so many children in the ground.
Indeed, rather a lot of Lancashire's cricket in the morning session was ragged and often not even that good. Faced with two batsmen who were quick to seize on any error in line or length, some bowlers wilted and field placings were a trifle strange. This reached a climax when Jordan Clark bowled to Davies with a long leg, a deep backward square leg and a deep forward square leg. It looked rather like a far-flung version of leg theory: Bodyline for fielders with body odour. Eventually, long leg was brought in and Davies whacked a six over his head.
The fact that Trego and Davies were batting very well indeed on a true wicket did nothing to soothe the discontent among some home supporters but at least they were to be presented with an outlet for their ire. Displaying bravery that would not shame a Gurkha, Lancashire officials had decided to hold a Members' Forum at Old Trafford after the second day of this game.
Rumour has it that flak jackets and tin hats were issued to those attending and that Kate Adie was on hand to report developments, it being axiomatic that no scene of strife is complete without her stern presence. The regulars around the bar in Taunton's Ring O'Bells may have been in splendid fettle on Thursday lunchtime evening but Old Trafford's famous pit of hate was bubbling ominously.
Nor was England's director of cricket particularly pleased by Trego and Davies's excellent partnership. Andrew Strauss had arrived at Emirates Old Trafford on Thursday morning presumably with the intention of seeing Haseeb Hameed bat after Somerset's tail had been whisked away as adroitly as a magician's cape. Instead of which, he saw Weston super Mare and Thanet's finest establish a new eighth-wicket record for their county. Very good watching, of course, but not exactly part of his overarching plan for the national game. Strauss left before lunch. "Sod this for a game of soldiers" may have summed up his feelings as he ambled away.
Yet Somerset's cricket in the first half of this day was quite admirable and helped explain why they are challenging, albeit distantly, for the title. Much as Steve Waugh's notion of mental disintegration might still attract courteous contempt when applied to abuse of the opposition, the idea of destroying your opponent's will to resist by keeping your foot on his neck for far longer than he might expect is altogether more acceptable.
But when you are faced with a follow-on target of 404, it is probably comforting to have Hameed in your side. There have been plenty of indications over the past week that Lancashire's 19-year-old opener may skip the Lions stage of development and tour with the full England side this winter. His batting against Somerset did nothing to make those ideas look silly.
Opening with the 20-year-old Rob Jones, who was playing only his second first-class match, Hameed scored most of the runs in their 87-run opening stand and his first three boundaries - a cover drive, a clip through midwicket and, unusually, a square cut - suggested once again that he is finding it easier to keep the score ticking over. There was the tranquillity, too: at its best Hameed's batting would calm a dervish in mid-whirl.
Every shot was played and, as often as not, played again to a now imaginary ball. Hameed's batting occasionally gives the impression that every stroke in the game possesses a quintessence of perfection which can be sought but never achieved. Nevertheless, merely to search is sufficient. He can turn batting into a version of the Japanese tea ceremony.
Then again, most of the time he is just a young bloke scoring runs and he had made 56 of them, passing the half-century mark for the eleventh time in 23 innings when he was out, an event so unexpected in these parts that it may soon prompt wild-eyed panic in Rusholme and a run on the market. Hameed already has his bevvy of supporters at Old Trafford, the Hassettes perhaps, and they were cast into gloom when he nibbled at a good ball from Tim Groenewald, who was the pick of Somerset's attack.
Groenewald then followed up this dismissal by running out Jones for a well-made 34 when his sharp return beat the batsman's impetuous scamper down the wicket and he would have removed Alviro Petersen for two had Chris Rogers caught a low chance at mid-off. Instead of which the day ended with Petersen reaching a thousand Championship runs for the season and Lancashire's coaches grateful for his survival.
All that remained was the Members' Forum. "Now for the tricky bit…" as Basil Fawlty once said.

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